Guncotton-press.



Patented July 24, I900. E. HOLLINGS.

GUNCOTTON PRESS. (Application filed Apr. 15, 1899.)

2 Sh0etsSheet I,

(No Model.)

Patented m 24, I900.

E. HOLLINGS. I GUNCOTTON PRESS.

(Application filed Apr, 16, 1899.)

2 $heats Sheat 2,

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT Prion- ERNEST l-IOLLlNGS, OF OHORLTON-CUM-HARDY, ENGLAND.

GUNCOTTON-PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 654,398, dated July 24, 1900. Application filed April15, 1899. Serial No. 713,108. (No model.)

' Figure 1 is a side elevation of apparatus under my invention, part of the mold being 'in section. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a modification of apparatus for making hollow blocks. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a modification of apparatus for making blocks of square section. Fig. 4 is a plan View of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of part of the mechanism shown in Fig. -1.

This invention relates to molding, pressing, or consolidating guncotton or like material into blocks, .disks, cylinders, &c.

Hitherto in pressing guncotton into blocks it has been-impossible to extract the air contained' in the pores or interstices of the cotton, which air on pressure being removed expands and renders the blocks spongy or laini-. nated, and consequentlythe detonation is ofa ten incomplete.

Now the object of my invention is to provide appliances whereby themolding of gu'ricotton into blocks, &c'., may be accomplished in such manner that the air is removed and the fibers of the guncotton laid together by gentle pressure, so that a homogeneous mass is formed free from lamination and air-spaces. For these purposes 'I"inake use of a mold or like container, preferably with perforated sides, although a solid-sided mold may be used in some cases. The guncotton is mixed with water into a thin pulp, which is fed into the mold from a tank as required. Within the mold I provide means for pressing or layin g the fibers of the guncotton closely together and agitators to prevent the fibers settling exceptwhere laid by the pressers.

Referring to Fig. 1,22 is a mold having per forations 3 in the sides thereof.

4:, is a tank in which the guncotton is mixed with waterinto a thin pulp, whichis fed into the mold by the pipe 5 as required.

6 is a revolving presser or layer consisting of a bar 7, provided at the end with screwblades 7 or equivalent devices, which as the bar revolves press or lay the fibers of the guncotton into the lower part of the mold, the water escaping through the perforations 3.

If a solid mold isusecl, the water escapes at the top. The bar 7 is caused to revolve by means of a belt 8, passing around a pulley 9, attached to the bar, and around a pulley 10,

carried in a bearing on the slide 11, and" caused to rotate by the shaft 12. The bar 7 is also carried in hearings on the slide 11. The slide 11 is free to move up and down in guides on the pillar 13. In order to prevent the fibers in the pulp from settling above the screw-blades 7, I provide agitators to agitate the pulp and prevent settlement.

14 indicates agitators attached to a sleeve 15, surrounding the bar 7, and free to rotate independently thereof and carried in bearings on the slide 11. Motion is given to the sleeve 15 by a belt 16, passing around a pulley .17 on the sleeve and'around a pulley 18, carried in a bearing on the slide 11, and caused to rotate by the shaft 19. The puileys 10 and 18 are provided with keys fitting into keyways 20 on the shafts 12 and 19, so that such pulleys are caused to rotate with the shafts, but are free to slide up and down thereon. The shafts 12 and 19 receive -motion from the disks 21 by means of friction-disks 22 23, free to be moved up and down on keyways in the shafts 12and 19 in any usual manner. The disks 21 are carried on a shaft 24, which rotates in bearings in the frarn ework 25.

26 is the main driving-pulley.

27 is a balance-weight attached to a rope or chain 28, which passes over a pulley 29 and is attached to the slidell to balance theweight of such slide and the pulleys and other mechanism carried thereby.

30 is a rope or chain attached tothe slide at each end and passing overpulleys 31 32.

33 is a toothed worm wheel attached to the pulley 3:2 and receiving motion from the worm 34, driven by wheels 35 and bevel-gearing 36 from the shaft'12. The rope 30 by this means raises the slide and connections as the block of guncotton is formed at the bottom of the mold, but. keeps a certain pressure on such guncotton, so as tolay the fibers closely -to gether. Instead of keeping the pressure on to free the screw-blades from fibers.

7 can be varied as desired.

the block by means of the rope and connected gearing the slide 11 or the bar 7 may ,be weighted. The wheels are changeone behind the other, as shown in Fig.5, so

as to allow of the slide 11 moving up and down without interfering with the driving of the rope 42. The pulley44 is driven by means of a friction-disk 46 froin'one of the disks 21.. Any'othe'r convenient means instead of those shown for revblving and reciprocating the bar 7 may beused as found convenient. The agitators 14' serve to agitate the-pulp and prevent settlement of the fibers before they are laid by the screw-blades. The agitators may, if desired,-be attached directly to the bar 7 and be driven therewith.

The pulp fed into the mold is of such consistency and the perforations'in the mold are of such size that the water doesnot escape through the perforations, until pressed out oi the guncotton fibers by the screw-blades 7,

Referring to Fig. 2, when it is desired to make the blocks of guncotton hollow I provide a perforated tube 47, which projects upward from the bottom of the mold 2. The screw-blades 7" are attached to a hollow bar 7.", which can be revolved and moved up and down on the tube 47, so that the fibers of guncotton are laid around such tube, thus forming a hollow block. The water escapes through the perforations in the tube 47, as well as through the perforations in the mold 2. The hollow bar 7 is operated in'a similar manner to the bar 7, as described under Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, when it is desired to make the blocks of guncottcn of square, hexagonal, or other shape than circular in cross-section, such. shape not allowpins fitted in the under side of the plate 7 for the purpose of pressing the fibers together and interlacing them, so that a solid block of guncotton is formed. The bar 7 and presser are-operated in a similar manner to the bar 7, as described under Fig. 1, except that the gearing for revolving the bar is not needed.

When the blocks of gnncotion have been formed of the desired size by any of the apparatus described, they may, if necessary, be

consolidated by hydraulic pressure or in other convenient way.

I claim'- 1. In apparatus for making blocks of guncotton, the combination with a mold, of a presser therein, mechanism for reciprocating the same, and, mechanism for gradually raising the presser during the reciprocation thereof; substantially as described.

2. In apparatus for making blocks of guncotton, the combination with a mold, of a revolving presser, mechanism for reciprocating the same, and mechanism for gradually lifting the presser while it isrotated-and reciprocated substantially'as described. 7 3. In apparatus for making blocks .of guncotton the combination with a perforated mold of a revolving and reciprocating presser adapted to lay the fibers of guncotton into themold; movable agitators adapted to prevent settlement of fibers and mechanism driving the agitators independently of. the presser substantially as described.

4. In apparatus for making blocks of guncotton the combination with a perforated mold of a central perforated tube and a ho.- low revolving and reciprocating presser all adapted to make a hollow block of guncotton substantially as described.

ERNEST- HoLLINes. Witnesses:

W. B. JOHNSON, WM. OWEN. 

